Differentiation

To guide children of all abilities into success

Becki Hattum
EDTS 321
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What does differentiation mean?

By this, we mean to substitute different ways of teaching and accommodating
for students who are at a different learning level than the rest of the class. Within the
class we have the freedom to change factors such as the environment and
instructional techniques. These small changes can make a big impact on children.
Differentiation should never result in discouragement or isolation but rather result in
confidence and enhanced learning.
In education, we want to provide equal opportunity. Equal opportunity will not
always mean the same treatment for all students.
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Why do we need to differentiate lessons for ‘different’

learners?
● Students with reduced cognitive ability will not learn without the proper
‘building blocks’ required.
● We can call them ‘building blocks’ because one of the best ways for people to
learn or retain new information is to ‘build’ on previously known knowledge. If
a student is not at the same pace (say years behind the class), they can not
assimilate the new information like the rest of the students.
● This is something that every teacher will experience, as 25% of children enter
grade one at a disadvantage – struggling with learning, health, or behavior
problems – which will most definitely affect their education.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/ExcerptsFromELECT.pdf
● Being in Canada, we also experience students of different cultures in our
classrooms. Some of the differences that they present can affect our ability to
teach and theirs to learn.
● As educators, we need to recognize the importance of our positions in society.
We must believe every student deserves a fair chance at success, regardless of
the challenges we (or them) may face in the process. Throughout this slide-show
I will explain some of the challenges that students face – which will re-iterate the
importance of differentiation.
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Cultural Differentiation
Canada is well known for our diverse culture. We have a large Indigenous
population, many immigrants from all over the world, and a variety of different
cultures within the population. We must be aware and understand that these
differences can – and will – have an effect on our classrooms.
We should acknowledge that feeling safe is an important part of development
and learning, and this comes after physiological needs (food, water, sleep, etc.) in
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
https://oer.galileo.usg.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=education-tex
tbooks
p. 103.
Part of feeling safe is feeling included in an environment. Students of different
cultures can very easily be excluded in a classroom by peers or even by teachers.
These exclusions could be due to language barriers, different communication styles,
individual vs. collective orientations, or power difference.
https://education.alberta.ca/media/1626236/chapter-6_cultural-considerations.pdf p.
66-67
There are ways to adjust for these different cultural views, include them in our
teaching, and ways to help them assimilate to a Canadian classroom without putting
too much pressure on the student.
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Adjusting for Cultural Differences

When a student arrives in our classroom from a culture of high power distance,
they may be unwilling to build a relationship. They will also be careful to never
outwardly disagree with a teacher. They will see teachers as far superior and may
struggle to form an individual opinion. In order to help students overcome this, we
can encourage decisions to be made by them, based on their individual knowledge.
(p. 71)
https://education.alberta.ca/media/1626236/chapter-6_cultural-considerations.pdf

If students are coming from a collectivist orientation, they tend to look at the
class as a whole. They may not enjoy working as alone due to their idea that
everyone should be working together. They can also be very helpful to peers, even
when not necessary. To help a student become more comfortable, we should give
them opportunity to talk about their home life and inquire about hobbies, activities,
etc.. This can help keep them connected. (p. 69)
https://education.alberta.ca/media/1626236/chapter-6_cultural-considerations.pdf

The best way to remain inclusive with students from other cultures is to learn
about their lives, values, and traditions. You should do your own research about the
culture as well.
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Different Learning Abilities

As noted earlier, many students suffer with behavioral and cognitive

disabilities. There are also students that we consider gifted who require
‘differentiation’ in learning. We are going to focus on the following topics :

● ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder)

● ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)
● FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome)

● Gifted/Talented
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ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Children with ADHD may present the following behavioral issues in the classroom:

● Talking out of turn

● Trouble following directions
● Issues with fine motor skills – such as writing
● Struggling to work independently
(Segal & Smith, 2020)

Children with ADHD are generally hyperactive, impulsive, and distracted. They often feel the
need to move around and speak out at unpredictable times. This can become disruptive. Besides
disrupting a class, these uncontrollable symptoms are a set back for the individual. A few things to
help guide an ADHD student are:
● Acknowledge it is not the student’s fault.
● Have a non-distracting signal to remind the student when they are off task
● Work with them – not against them. Approach a possible solution as a team. (Segal &
Smith 2020)
● Have a ‘quiet area’ available as needed
● Deliver instructions simply and explain tasks one at a time
● Organize large assignments into a series of smaller tasks – this goes for testing too, small
quizzes will be more beneficial than long tests. (Segal & Smith, 2020)
● Assist in organization
● Change the pace of activities when possible
● Allow the student to have a quiet fidget that will not disrupt the class
(Segal & Smith, 2020)
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Autism Spectrum Disorder

This disorder can range from mild to severe symptoms and can vary from person to
person. Many children are diagnosed as toddlers. Some of the varying symptoms include :

● Communication issues – people with ASD can be non-verbal. They can also struggle
with social cues, building relationships, holding conversations, and expressing
themselves.
● Repetitive or fixated behaviors – children will get fixated on a certain sound and
repeat it, or on a movement such as waving their hands. (American Psychiatric
Association, 2018)
● They will likely have a distinct need for routine.
● Children with ASD may experience high sensitivity to light, loud sounds, and high
pitched sounds. They can also display intense interest in these sensory experiences,
which can include smell, taste, and touch as well. (American Psychiatric
Association, 2018)

As you can see, the varying symptoms that a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder will
experience results in challenging solutions. There may not be a perfect solution for all, but
there are many possibilities for each individual. You will see on the next slide some
techniques one could try in a classroom environment to help a student with ASD.
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Helping Students with ASD Succeed

An ideal start to teaching a student with ASD would be to develop an IPP (Individualized Program
Plan), which is created with the help of teachers, parents of the individual, behavior/speech/program
specialists and therapists. They should include long and short-term goals, how to work towards goals,
support systems and programs, strengths/needs, and assessment/evaluation plans (Alberta Learning, 2003,
p. 31-32). The special thing about IPP’s is that they are not based on generalizations of a disorder or a
students known diagnoses, but rather based on the individuals abilities.
Teachers and other mentors must be willing to work in partnership with one another with the
students best interest in mind, that being, their success. Some tips that can be used in the classroom are as
follows :
● Accessing visual aids for whenever possible. This may help students better understand a task
and provide more clear guidance.
● Keeping materials and information clearly organized. Students with ASD often prefer that
things have their own place. An organized classroom can help alleviate anxiety.
● Having physical and visual markers to differentiate specific learning areas, as well as to
differentiate the students space and belongings. (Alberta Learning, 2003, p. 39-43)
● Observe behaviors that are measurable in order to enhance teaching strategies.
● Introduce lessons clearly. Point out the beginning and the end (of worksheets for example), and
provide shorter parts of a text as opposed to an entire text book.
(Alberta Learning, 2003, p. 39-43)

These are just a few of the main points for teaching a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Much
more information is available through the Alberta Learning source and others. When the situation seems
daunting, always remember to be patient.
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FASD – Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is another disorder which can vary from person to
person and can be placed on a spectrum. It results from a mother drinking alcohol during
pregnancy. There are different disabilities that can range from mild to severe. Within FASD
there is :

● FAS – Fetal Alcohol Syndrome – results in central nervous system issues, growing
problems, coordination problems and issues with “memory, learning, attention span,
communication, vision or hearing” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
2020). These symptoms can occur as a mix or separately.
● ARND – Alcohol related neurodevelopmental disorder – this can result in poor
judgement, impulsivity, and general intellectual disabilities.
● ARBD – Alcohol related birth defects – this is referring to defects in the kidneys,
heart and bones (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020).

It is important to avoid quick judgement with students that exhibit these symptoms, as
you may notice that some of these are similar to other disorders such as ADHD. Due to the
origin of the disorder, we must also be careful and understanding with the students and
family. Approach the situations in a genuinely helpful manner and avoid making assumptions.
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FASD in the Classroom

Students that suffer from this disorder can become irritable when exposed to
high or low sensory situations. It is recommended that you keep distractions to a
minimum – especially visual and auditory (Blaschke et al., 2009, p. 27-28). Some
other tips that Blaschke et al. recommend are as follows :

● Have consistent routines in place (p.29).

● Build consistent relationships and ensure that relationships within the
school remain as such – try not to change hands too often (p. 30).
● Don’t correct students mis-communications (due to incorrect articulation)
on the spot. These are common. It is more effective to continue and correct
it within conversation (p. 42). This could create a negative reaction.
● Visual aids – charts, pictures, use of color, etc. (p. 99).
● Activities that can help the child learn social cues such as facial
expressions, physical gestures and body language (p. 124)
(Blaschke et al., 2009)
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Gifted and Talented Students 175-177

Students with higher cognitive ability are sometimes referred to as gifted. These children
can catch on to lessons quickly, are more creative, and have the ability to recognize
relationships between concepts
https://education.alberta.ca/media/464612/chapter-10-gifted-mad-2010.pdf (p. 172-3). While
these traits are a positive thing and can lead to success, gifted students are at a high risk for
mental illness and social disadvantages. They may feel they are not achieving enough or
don’t fit in. They are often perfectionists – which can correlate with anxiety disorders – and
have a fear of failure. On another note, if we do not encourage these students to reach their
full potential, they risk feeling underachieved.
https://education.alberta.ca/media/464612/chapter-10-gifted-mad-2010.pdf (p. 175-7). As
educators, we must provide tools to strengthen their abilities while ensuring other needs are
being met.
Planning a different route for these students is essential. Key points to this process are:
● Encourage abstract thinking – focus on concepts.
● Add more complex concepts to lessons. Provide information and then make
comparisons or dig deeper for a meaning. This helps to continue building
knowledge.
● Relate subject topics to another. For example: how is math used in science? How
does music relate to language arts?
● Set goals with the student collaboratively.
● Provide open ended questions with lessons.
https://education.alberta.ca/media/464612/chapter-10-gifted-mad-2010.pdf
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Reflection
Some challenging pieces of differentiation are definitely the small details. I know that there will be
different approaches for every situation depending on so many variables. Some students don’t have
additional support structures which means you will be play a larger role in their development. Some
parents may be supportive of strategies while others may want to argue about them. These create
variables which we must work around and overcome. There will be challenges to find the perfect learning
tool for students. One day a strategy can work, and all of the sudden the climate changes and that strategy
is no longer successful. Many disabilities come with unpredictable outcomes.

I believe that with the right resources we can find positive solutions for any student. Finding that
solution in itself will be rewarding, but seeing true growth over a period of time (thanks to efforts made
by all) is the best reward that teachers can receive.

The sources I have included are educational and detailed for every situation, from tips on teaching
math to a child with FAS to how to adjust lighting for a child suffering from ASD. There are so many
ideas to work with, and so many activities to try. I have my references page for the details in these slides,
but wanted to include a few others that may be resourceful.

https://www.pbisworld.com/
https://www.edutopia.org/
https://www.education.udel.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/ODD-011807.pdf
https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/ocd-at-school
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References
Alberta Learning. 2003. Teaching students with autism spectrum disorders. Alberta Learning Special
Programs Branch. https://education.alberta.ca/media/385138/teaching- students-with-asd-2003.pdf
American Psychiatric Association. (2018, August). What is autism spectrum disorder?. Psychiatry.org.
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/autism/what-is-autism- spectrum-
disorder#:~:text=Autism%20spectrum%20disorder%20(ASD)%20is,are%20different %20in%20each
%20person.
Segal, J. & Smith, M. (2020, September). Teaching students with adhd. HelpGuide.org
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/teaching-students-with-adhd-attention- deficit-disorder.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, May 7). Basics about fasds.
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/facts.html
Blaschke, K., Maltaverne, M., Struck, J. (2009). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Education strategies.
Special Education Programs, South Dakota Department of Education.
https://www.usd.edu/-/media/files/medicine/center-for-disabilities/handbooks/fasd -educational-
strategies-handbook.ashx?la=en